Sri Lanka - What a Wonderful Place

Week 24: Days 162-167

I. Love. Sri. Lanka. And I love being a Fulbright ETA. Ohhhhh Sri Lanka. What a wonderful five days we had together! Although the purpose of our trip to Sri Lanka was to convene with other South/Central Asia English Teaching Assistants (ETAs), the trip turned out to be not only professionally beneficial, but it was also personally uplifting.

Before I get into the details of the conference, let me just say that Sri Lanka is an absolutely beautiful place!!! With its breezy island feel, I allowed myself to relax and rejuvenate. My favorite part of Sri Lanka – the Indian Ocean, duh! Anyone who knows me knows that I love me some water, and boy oh boy did Sri Lanka have water for me! I spent every possible moment (including 10-15 minute breaks during the conference) outside and it was indeed good for my soul. Aside from the ambiance, I also loved my time in Sri Lanka because of the people I had the chance to meet there. Not only were we reunited with the Calcutta ETAs (whom we miss so very much), but we also met the ETAs from other countries in our region and I truly enjoyed getting to know them.

Okay, now to the important part – the ETA conference! It was an absolute pleasure meeting the other ETAs and they reminded me that my time in Delhi, teaching English, is part of something greater. We are working to fulfill the Fulbright mission of promoting mutual understanding among and across cultures. It was comforting to know that we face similar challenges relating to language barriers, discipline in the classroom and simply trying to find our way in our new communities.

In Sri Lanka, we came together, shared our war stories (lol) and our triumphs, big and small, and by the end of the week, in some way, each of us were renewed. Speaking for myself, I can say that I felt refreshed and ready to give my students my everything for the rest of my time in Delhi. I walked away with fresh ideas and a feeling that I was indeed making an impact – no matter how small – on my students. You know, it’s easy to get bogged down in the everyday stress/craziness of it all, but this conference reminded me to always see the forest while taking very good care of the trees :-)

One of the best things about the conference was that it served as a reminder of how important it is to take a step back and gather with your colleagues – from all over the place. There’s something special that happens when people, who share a common purpose, come together, share their experiences and work towards making improvements. It’s almost like a revival . . . your faith in your work is strengthened and you are certain that you’re in the right place, even with the day-to-day craziness and all the while recognizing that there is always more work to be done.

As I reflect on the ETA conference, I couldn’t help but think of the Teach for America 20^th Year Anniversary Summit which took place in February of 2011. I remember vividly how emotional I got during the opening ceremony as tears came to my eyes while standing in a room of thousands of people who all believe that all children in the United States of America deserve access to QUALITY education – regardless of race, socioeconomic status or any of the other stuff America puts in the way of students. I am honored and humbled to be a part of the TFA 2012 Houston Corps and I cannot wait to meet my students and get my hands dirty while trying to improve the U.S. education system.

The ETA conference reminded me that I have some serious work to do and God has deemed it necessary for me to join in the fight for quality and accessible education for all. . . . Man, it’s a good feeling to know that I am walking in my purpose. My time in Sri Lanka reminded me of that and I am so grateful to the Fulbright for such a wonderful opportunity. So, I’ll say it again – ohhhhhh Sri Lanka, I love you. And I promise to come back soon :-)

Holidays? Not so much :-/

Yeah, this is late. But as the holiday season comes to a close, I must write a quick note about how much I missed home and my family and friends. This is my first time spending the holidays away from my family and friends in Detroit. It feels weird. It doesn’t really feel like the holidays to me and I have to say that I now understand the cliché statement that the holidays are really about the people you love. Without them, the past few weeks have simply been days on the calendar and although I am enjoying my time in India, I can’t help but be a bit homesick ;-)

I don’t really have much else to say. I pray that all of you have had a safe and wonderful holiday season. I am looking forward to the New Year, God has surely blessed me. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!!! Peace.

For This I Am Thankful . . .

“Let me tell you something about Jesus.” This is a phrase that I frequently use with friends as I talk about just how good God has been to little ole me. There is no way that I will ever be able adequately thank God for everything he/she has done in my life, but I want to take some time during this Thanksgiving season to reflect over my year and how grateful I am.

You know, this time last year I had just found out that I had been accepted into Teach For America (TFA) as a high school English teacher in Houston, TX. I had completed my application for the Fulbright program and I was anxiously waiting to find out if I would be selected as a finalist. I remember telling the few people that I shared my Fulbright dreams with that in a “perfect world” I would be accepted into TFA, then the Fulbright program in India. I would request a one-year deferral from TFA, it would be granted and I would be placed back in Houston, TX teaching high school English (yeah, it was a lot that I was asking for lol). Well, praise God because I got it all!!! By the grace and unmerited favor of God, I received all those things and my humble requests were granted . . . amen, amen, amen.

Beyond Fulbright and TFA, I am grateful for many other things. This year, like any other, had ups and downs but God has remained faithful through it all. In March of this year, I was involved in a car accident along with two of my friends, which resulted in my car being totaled. That event revealed to me the art of peace in the midst of a storm . . . after my initial shock and going a bit crazy because I was more worried about my friends in the car than anything else, we were able to remain in good spirits following the accident. We actually ended up laughing and making jokes while waking for the police to come and everyone, in both cars, walked away unharmed. Ultimately, as sad as I when I got the news that my car would be totaled out, I was beyond grateful that we were all okay and the car was the only casualty.

I am also grateful this year for my graduation from law school. I remember when I was in undergrad hoping to be admitted into a good school . . . the nervousness of 1L year is still fresh in my mind. . . I was blessed with an awesome study group who became my family and support system at the HUSL. . . . Law school also gave me the opportunity to live with my sister on our own for 3 years and we didn’t kill each other – hahaha. . . . Oh & I remember the sheer joy that I felt when I found out that I would become a member of the Howard Law Journal. 

Man, when I think about law school, I realize that the 3 years I spent there were not just about my professional development, but law school literally changed my life. In that space and place I was tested – mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. There, I finally had a chance to see what I was made of . . . with the extreme competition that can take place in law school, I had to make sure that I did well, without stepping on others . . . I had to offer whatever help I could, knowing that there are more than enough blessings in the store house and my success would not be diminished by the success of someone else . . . I had to learn that taking care of myself was to always be my #1 priority . . . I had to trust that I was in the palm of God’s hands at all times . . . and most importantly, law school taught me the value and necessity of a positive attitude. God helped me to let my light shine, no matter the atmosphere and I pray that I was of service to someone else during my time at the HUSL. All of this to say – I am so very thankful for my law school experience and excited to see where my life goes now that I have decided to dedicate myself to the fight for quality education for all children in the United States.

Now, you all know that I cannot talk about things that I am grateful for without giving glory to God for my experience here in India. Who knew that I would be here???? Certainly not me! I am so so so grateful to have this opportunity. I am lucky to have a supportive family who told me that can do/be anything. It is because of them that I had the courage to apply for this program and knowing that I am making them proud is what sustains me during this time. Lord knows I am missing them this Thanksgiving (see the picture to the right from last year’s Thanksgiving dinner).

When it comes to India, I am thankful for my students – they are the light of my life these days and I am honored to teach them. I have been blessed with a church home here - thanks to one of my students :-) . . . I am grateful for the beautiful monuments and historical places that I am able to visit. It amazes me that next month I will also travel to Sri Lanka and Egypt. At this point, God is simply showing off . . . and I am grateful! I am humbled. I am so excited to talk to my future students about the importance of going abroad and I just want God to use me. . .

I have a lot to be thankful for this year and I am working hard to make sure that I don’t waste any of what God has blessed me with. I wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving!!! I am missing my family very much, so if you are with yours – enjoy and appreciate this time with them :-) Until next time, I urge you to think of the things you are grateful for . . . .

I Now Crown You "Jessica's Delhi" :-)

Week 14: Days 90-96

This is long overdue ;-) So, while the rest of the world (and by world I mean the other New Delhi ETAs) was off exploring different parts of India and visiting folks during our fall break, I decided to stay in Delhi and enjoy my days off here. Truth – I was super excited to have the apartment to myself for a few days – not because I don’t love my roommates, but because it’s hard for me to have true “Jessica Time” these days. At best, I’ll get a few hours to myself to myself at the movies or at the park reading, but every once in a while I need to relax, relate, release and whoosah . . . – ya know ;-) I simply need to be left alone for an extended amount of time to recalibrate and this was my chance! I needed some time to decompress and explore in my own way this wonderful city in which we live and I just wanted to chill out. I must say: Mission Accomplished! I had the best week ever!

My theme song for the week was Jill Scott's "Escape". . . . I mean, I literally listened to this song like 100 times over the course of the five days I was in the apartment alone. . . . “I need a way out, I need an escape, I need a moment, I need a real break, I need a vacay for my mind’s sake, I need a party for me and my homies . . .” It was so fun just turning the music up, singing at the top of my lungs and dancing around . . . “I’m not complaining, no I ain’t, I need time just for me, Maybe a long walk, Maybe a drive, Just so that I can breathe.” Yes, an escape was needed and granted :-)

Let’s look at some highlights for the week:

Saturday, Sunday and Monday were pretty chill. I got a mani and pedi, went to church and cleaned my room. Oh wait, on Sunday I celebrated Gandhi’s birthday at India Gate where the largest sand painting of Gandhiji was unveiled. Tuesday was probably my favorite day of the week – I walked to Haus Khaz village – my absolute favorite place in Delhi! I had only been there once, but I instantly fell in love with the complex. It’s so peaceful and the water near it is what makes me go there to relax. It was nice to be able to go there, take a snack, some reading material and spend as much time as I wanted to there without the fear of others wanting to move on because it’s just a cool place to sightsee. After Haus Khaz village, I made my way to Purana Qila (Old Fort) and the Zoo! Wednesday was also quite nice, my mind was set on a movie and sushi which I had and thoroughly enjoyed! I also finally cracked open my October issue of Essence (courtesy of Violet :-)) and read it cover to cover throughout the day. The little things in life matter so much and being able to read my favorite magazine brought a piece of home to India for me and gave me a bit of normalcy. Thursday was my last day to myself and I made the most of it. I started the day off visiting Gandhi’s memorial and the Gandhi museum. His life was indeed his message and what a powerful and inspiring message it is. I’ll have to go back to the museum at least once more because there was so much to read about his life and it was all so interesting. Gandhiji was a true example of greatness, especially considering that he never considered himself greater than anyone else. Gandhi = humility personified. After the memorial and museum, I went to one of my favorite restaurants in Delhi – Mrs. Kaurs Crepes and More – mmm mmm good! I ended the day watching a live performance of an adaptation of India’s great epic "The Ramayana". Overall, I had a great time and I was happy to see my roommates smiling faces on Friday – I missed them!

 

Sorry - no pics :-( They won't upload. #darnit!

100 Days in India!!!!!

Week 15: Day 100!!!

I can’t believe that I’ve been in India for 100 days now. At some point each day, I am still in awe that God granted me one of my dreams – living abroad!!!! I am simply grateful beyond words. Making it to the 100 day mark is significant for me because this time last year, I had never even been outside of the United States (well, I’ve been to Canada, but I’m from Detroit and it’s only a 15 minute drive across the bridge lol) and to make it 100 days so far away from my family and friends is a true testament to how good God is and how he/she will never take you somewhere that you cannot handle. Time has been flying by and I can say that I have made a home for myself here. You know, India isn’t as scary as it was it I first got here. I have no doubts that the next 5+ months will bring forth even better experiences and growth.

 

 

Also, the 100 day mark has me thinking – “what do I have to show for myself after 3+ months of living in India???” I’d like to think – a lot! First things first, I have grown to enjoy teaching – as much of a roller coaster ride as it is, I love my students and I am learning a lot about being an educator. I am seriously looking forward to teaching long term. When it comes to my experiences at school, I must say that I am very fortunate to be teaching at such a welcoming place – in my opinion, KV- Andrews Ganj rocks! Now don’t get me wrong, I have my fair share of bad days and minor annoyances, but that’s everywhere so I can’t complain. My fellow teachers are so sweet and seriously treat m like their child/younger sister – always feeding me and making sure I’m okay. It’s so funny because sometimes they watch me when I eat to make sure I like the food and when I got my hair braided, we talked for days about it. And when it comes to my students – they are like any other group of 12-15 year olds –smart, inquisitive, crazy, mischievous, sweet, funny, active . . . just kids. And I love them for it! I find myself growing attached to some of them and it’s going to be really really hard to leave them in April. I’ve been able to build a rapport with my students and we are getting to know each other fairly well – they’ve become accustomed to my facial expressions and how I look at them when they are acting a fool. I’m learning their personalities and depth is being added to our interactions. All in all, the reason I came here is to teach and I’m learning and growing so much because of my kids that I couldn’t be more grateful for this opportunity.

Oh and I must tell you all about my roommates. I. Love. Them. One of the reasons that India has been so enjoyable for me is because I live with great people that make life easy for me. I really do not think that I could have adjusted so well to the many culture shocks of India without good people at home. Let me tell you about these wonderful (albeit crazy lol) people with whom I live. [See the pic above - from left to right, we have JoJo, Me, Abby & Krish].

• First up we have my beloved JoJo (Joanna) aka “Radio Jo” because this girl sings all day, every day. I’ve gotten so used to it that if she didn’t randomly create tunes for our everyday life, I would be a bit worried about her. But back to how wonderful of a person this Chicago native is – it’s impossible to not have a good time or be in a good mood when this girl is around – she’s thoughtful, super smart, outgoing and a great friend/roommate.
• Now on to Abby (Abigail) – this girl is such an inspiration. A Maryland native, she’s the healthiest person that I’ve ever personally known and I’m becoming a better/healthier version myself because of her. I look forward to our Saturday morning workouts – she goes hard, but she’s so patient and super positive. Also, she maintains a positive outlook on our experiences, even the frustrating things that everyone else complains about, Abby takes it as part of the experience and I admire how genuinely dedicated she is to being the best teacher she can be and how much she wants to truly immerse herself in Indian culture.
• Last, but certainly not least, we have Krish. Hailing from Alabama, I knew during out DC pre-departure orientation that we would be friends when I said something was dumb and he replied “really dumb” – making reference to Antoine Dodson. I’ve never lived with a man before, but Krish makes it easy. He’s hilarious so we’re never out of laughs in this place. He is a super smart dude who has plans to attend law school when we get back stateside and I have no doubts that he’ll rise to the occasion there. All in all, I couldn’t be happier with the people I share my space with and I trust that we’ll collect many memories along the way between now and April.

Hmmm, what else is there? I’ve simply been enjoying myself. I have seen a lot of New Delhi and I am doing my best to soak this place in. I am so lucky – I really am. My favorite part of India has to be the people – especially the children. Aside from the sheer volume of people and the fact that waiting in lines is a completely foreign concept in India, the people I meet tend to be kind and helpful. There are people I see every day on my routes to and from school and the market and I look forward to their welcoming and smiling faces each day. I’ve also gotten more comfortable in auto rickshaws – I even listen to music in one ear during the ride (but believe me, a whole lot of praying is still going on because Indian roads are a dangerous place to be lol). I am learning my way around the city and can recognize the way home from many points now. I have found a church home here and God has shown me that he/she can be found anywhere. The services are in Hindi and English and it feels so good to be surrounded by God loving people who seem genuinely concerned about my well being. I seriously have to wonder what I’ve done to get so lucky. . . But you know, I won’t question God – I’ll humbly accept his/her blessings and do my absolute best to make the most out of this opportunity.

All in all, I am happy to report that not only am I surviving here in India, I am thriving and I believe has given me this opportunity as a prelude to some plans in store for my future. And I am looking forward to it all :-) To the next 176 days - let’s go!!!!

*I had many more pics to upload, but the site chose not to cooperate with me. Hopefully I'll have more luck on the next post :-/

Learning to Teach - This Will Be a Lifelong Journey for Me

A few weeks ago, I had one of those days with one of my classes at school. Boy oh boy, they had tapped danced on my last nerve, yelling was involved and I lost my cool – it’s as simple as that. The next day, I apologized because I don’t think that it was okay to yell at them and I will be the teacher who respects her students as human beings first. But, you know, this incident kind of shook me up because I have made a decision to become and educator and eventually a superintendent. And I got to thinking “If I can’t control/get through to these kids, what in the world am I going to do when I begin teaching with Teach For America and have students of my own?” It was then that I reminded myself that even the best of teachers have bad days, and good teachers got that way through years of practice and by making many mistakes.

I have so much to learn, but I know that I must take things one step, one day at a time. Thanks to some inspiration from JoJo, I have started listening to podcasts about Education. I try to listen to at least one podcast a week and over the past month or so I have realized that there are so many people who are so passionate about Education and improving America’s schools. [check out ]I am ready to join in that fight. If I had one wish, it would be to see education declared as a Constitutional right in America before I die. Now, I won’t hold my breath for it to happen, but I will do my best to help make equal access to quality education a reality for as many American children as possible.

When it comes to what worries me the most, I need to learn (in no particular order):

1. Effective classroom management
2. How to motivate students (even the ones who think they are too cool for school)
3. Strategies to attend to the needs of students at different levels
4. Ways to create a culture of community, responsibility and positivity in my classroom
5. What to do when a student comes to me with a serious life problem
6. Effective and creative lesson planning
7. Effective organization techniques
8. How to prepare my students for standardized tests without teaching to the test
9. The art of remaining professional yet personable yet respected in my classroom
10. How to focus on the big picture and the day-to-day learning simultaneously

I certainly have my work cut out for me, but knowing that God has placed me here, I eagerly accept the challenge of improving the quality of life for my students. Knowing that I have a responsibility to each student who enters my classroom, I have drafted an ABCs of Teaching list – this is the type of teacher I want to be and these are the things that I am committed to giving my students. I’m bringing my A-game to them because they deserve nothing less.

Jessica's ABCs of Teaching

A - Always put the student first
B - Believe that your students are capable
C - Create innovative ways to teach your subject
D - Demand the best from your students
E - Engage students in the learning process
F - Find something good in each student
G - Give your students your absolute best
H - Have a command of the subject matter
I - Invest in each student
J - Joyfully teach
K - Kindly correct errors
L - Love your students and Love your job
M - Motivate your students
N - Never think you know everything
O - Offer yourself as a resource to your students
P - Prepare, prepare, prepare!
Q - Quit??? Never!
R - Reflect often and find ways to improve your teaching methods
S - Supply students with the tools to succeed
T - Treat students with kindness and respect
U - Understand that students are people too
V - Value each student’s opinion
W - Walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk – practice what you preach
X - X-plain everything – never assume the students know what you expect
Y - Yield to the greater good, not your ego
Z - Zealously try to make students better people – academically and personally

Idependence Day . . .

Week 7: Day 43

Independence (noun) – (a) The fact or state of being independent; (b) freedom from control or influence of another or others.

Freedom (noun) – (a) Absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic government; (b) The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint

In August I had the opportunity to celebrate India’s Independence Day on August 15th. As a class activity, I told my students about the United States’ Independence Day and I asked them to write a paragraph telling me: (1) why Independence Day is important; (2) how will you celebrate the holiday with your family; and (3) why do you love India? Their responses really touched me, which led me to write this post exploring not only India’s Independence, but also America’s Independence and the freedom of African Americans living in the United States.

Before I begin, here is a brief timeline: On July 4, 1776 the United States adopted the Declaration of Independence to free itself from British rule. On January 31, 1865 the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery in the United States was passed and it was officially ratified by the states on December 6, 1865. However, June 19, 1865 has become known as Emancipation Day, commemorating the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the State of Texas. On August 15, 1947 India birthed itself as a sovereign nation, independent of British rule.

India’s Freedom from British Rule:
When it came to the importance of the day, many of my students spoke of the “”freedom fighters” who helped India break free from British rule. They had a keen understanding of the great sacrifices (including life) that many people made many years ago so that they could live in their motherland (as many of them affectionately called India). They talked about British oppression and how important it is for a people to have their own land where they can live freely and have their own culture. With that said, many students went on to tell of various activities that they would do with their families over the weekend. Almost everyone talked about flying kites and eating “delicious sweets” and others explained that their individual neighborhoods had special dance performances and flag raising ceremonies.

The most touching responses were those regarding why the students loved their country. Ranging from, “India is my motherland. I was born here and I die here, giving sacrifice to my country” to “I love my country because many cultures live here together. People are very helpful and I love it here very much,” my students had plenty to say about India. This made me think about how people in America talk about it and how much love people (namely students) have for the United States. I don’t remember anyone during my middle/high school years speaking of America with the same amount of conviction that my students did, which got me to thinking . . . Do we love America any less? Do I feel as if I should sacrifice my life for my country? How do I reconcile the fact that America was an Independent nation all the while, my ancestors were still enslaved? These questions still remain, but I’m using this post as a space to get some of my thoughts out of me and open up a discussion. Okay, enough rambling, back to India’s Independence Day ;-)

I celebrated India’s Independence Day by finally watching the movie Gandhi starring Ben Kingsley. I was simply captivated by this man’s life and I learned a lot about India’s history, including the long, hard road to freedom that took place. So much of what I saw in the film (and things that I read about previously) reminded me of the experiences of African Americans in the United States. To see the way the Indian people were treated by British settlers was unnerving and I must say that the Indian people fought the good fight and got their country/land back. While much remains to be done in India, I am inspired by resolve of the people (especially my students) to honor this country and celebrate what a beautiful place it is where many cultures coexist. (but . . .stay tuned for my post of a book review of City of Djinns which explores the dark sides of India’s past)


America’s Declaration of Independence:
The Fourth of July is one of the most celebrated holidays in America as it commemorates America’s independence from British rule (you see, India and the United State have some things in common). Many people pay homage to those serving in the military (even though there is a separate holiday honoring our armed forces) and the 4th is a great day of celebration. Independence Day tends to be celebrated with fireworks, parades, barbecues (my personal favorite), carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, political speeches and ceremonies. Now, while I have celebrated this day all of my life, I must admit that I do not have the same zeal that my students had regarding Indian Independence Day. Do I love my country – absolutely, I am grateful each day and wouldn’t rather live anywhere else. Do I respect the ideals upon which this country was built upon - yes. But, you know I have trouble feeling completely enthralled in the United States’ day of Independence when I know that people who looked like me weren’t exactly called to celebrate on that fateful day many moons ago. And this is where I struggle. This is why I am writing this post . . .

I’m writing this post because I struggle with notions of freedom and independence due to the unique position of African Americans in the United States. I’m just sharing my thoughts here because my experience in India brought this to the forefront of my mind and made me think of Independence Day in a whole new way. It wasn’t until I went to college that I formally learned about Juneteenth (aka Freedom Day or Emancipation Day). This is a holiday (celebrated by most states, but it is not a national holiday) commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. The state of Texas made the announcement about abolition on June 19, 1865 although the resolution had passed in January of that year in the U.S. Senate.

Now, let’s look at this, America Declared its Independence in 1776, but it wasn’t until almost 90 years later that the institution of slavery was abolished in America. This means that an entire group of people (enslaved African Americans) were not free or independent as the rest of the country had been. It is hard for me to swallow the fact that a group of people (i.e. the “Founding Fathers”) recognized the need to be free and independent of foreign rule/governance, yet still thought it was okay to enslave human beings. Not really sure how that logic was able to fly, but hey – it happened and now African Americans are in a position where we are expected to celebrate a holiday that was not meant for us (at least not for another 90 years and that’s an underestimate considering the continued struggle for equality in the U.S.). Even more troubling for me is the fact that Juneteenth is not a national holiday – it would be nice for the nation to be forced to acknowledge that ugly part of our past – there were slaves that were not free at the time of independence and therefore were still in need of a reprieve.

Now, while I won’t hold my breath to make Juneteenth a national holiday, I have decided that in addition to celebrating the 4th of July each year, I will also celebrate Juneteenth. June 19th is now a day that I will set aside to commemorate the abolition of slavery. I owe it to my ancestors (aka freedom fighters) to recognize this historic day. My students helped me realize that I had been missing a true connection to freedom in the U.S., but I think this will help me find it. And when the day comes for me to raise my own children, they too will celebrate June 19th and July 4th as two days of independence that should be observed in America. I guess that’s all I got, I’d love your thoughts about this one ;-)